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Dieu-Nosjean MC, Teillaud JL. [The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023: Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman - A vaccine revolution driven by fundamental research in immunology and molecular biology]. Med Sci (Paris) 2024; 40:186-191. [PMID: 38411427 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2024002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Le 2 octobre 2023, le prix Nobel de physiologie ou médecine a été décerné à Katalin Karikó et Drew Weissman, tous deux professeurs à l’université de Pennsylvanie, pour leur « découverte concernant les modifications des nucléosides qui ont permis le développement de vaccins ARN efficaces contre le COVID-19 ». Le communiqué du comité Nobel indique que « grâce à leurs découvertes exceptionnelles qui ont changé radicalement notre compréhension des mécanismes par lesquels l’ARN messager interagit avec notre système immunitaire, ces deux lauréats ont contribué au développement, avec une rapidité sans précédent, d’un vaccin contre l’une des plus grandes menaces des temps modernes affectant la santé humaine ».
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Caroline Dieu-Nosjean
- Laboratoire « Microenvironnement immunitaire et immunothérapie », Centre d'immunologie et des maladies infectieuses (CIMI), Inserm U1135, Faculté de Santé, Sorbonne université, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Luc Teillaud
- Laboratoire « Microenvironnement immunitaire et immunothérapie », Centre d'immunologie et des maladies infectieuses (CIMI), Inserm U1135, Faculté de Santé, Sorbonne université, Paris, France
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2
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Tuma J, Chen YJ, Collins MG, Paul A, Li J, Han H, Sharma R, Murthy N, Lee HY. Lipid Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA to the Brain after an Intracerebral Injection. Biochemistry 2023; 62:3533-3547. [PMID: 37729550 PMCID: PMC10760911 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders are often debilitating conditions with no cure. The majority of current therapies are palliative rather than disease-modifying; therefore, new strategies for treating neurological disorders are greatly needed. mRNA-based therapeutics have great potential for treating such neurological disorders; however, challenges with delivery have limited their clinical potential. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising delivery vector for the brain, given their safer toxicity profile and higher efficacy. Despite this, very little is known about LNP-mediated delivery of mRNA into the brain. Here, we employ MC3-based LNPs and successfully deliver Cre mRNA and Cas9 mRNA/Ai9 sgRNA to the adult Ai9 mouse brain; greater than half of the entire striatum and hippocampus was found to be penetrated along the rostro-caudal axis by direct intracerebral injections of MC3 LNP mRNAs. MC3 LNP Cre mRNA successfully transfected cells in the striatum (∼52% efficiency) and hippocampus (∼49% efficiency). In addition, we demonstrate that MC3 LNP Cas9 mRNA/Ai9 sgRNA edited cells in the striatum (∼7% efficiency) and hippocampus (∼3% efficiency). Further analysis demonstrates that MC3 LNPs mediate mRNA delivery to multiple cell types including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in the brain. Overall, LNP-based mRNA delivery is effective in brain tissue and shows great promise for treating complex neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Tuma
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00 Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Yu-Ju Chen
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Michael G. Collins
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Abhik Paul
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Hesong Han
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Niren Murthy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Hye Young Lee
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
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3
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Life-saving vaccines awarded. NATURE MATERIALS 2023; 22:1431. [PMID: 38049629 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01770-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
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Janowski M, Andrzejewska A. The legacy of mRNA engineering: A lineup of pioneers for the Nobel Prize. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 29:272-284. [PMID: 35855896 PMCID: PMC9278038 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
mRNA is like Hermes, delivering the genetic code to cellular construction sites, so it has long been of interest, but only to a small group of scientists, and only demonstrating its remarkable efficacy in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines allowed it to go out into the open. Therefore, now is the right timing to delve into the stepping stones that underpin this success and pay tribute to the underlying scientists. From this perspective, advances in mRNA engineering have proven crucial to the rapidly growing role of this molecule in healthcare. Development of consecutive generations of cap analogs, including anti-reverse cap analogs (ARCAs), has significantly boosted translation efficacy and maintained an enthusiasm for mRNA research. Nucleotide modification to protect mRNA molecules from the host's immune system, followed by finding appropriate purification and packaging methods, were other links in the chain enabling medical breakthroughs. Currently, vaccines are the central area of mRNA research, but it will reach far beyond COVID-19. Supplementation of missing or abnormal proteins is another large field of mRNA research. Ex vivo cell engineering and genome editing have been expanding recently. Thus, it is time to recognize mRNA pioneers while building upon their legacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslaw Janowski
- Program in Image Guided Neurointerventions, Center for Advanced Imaging Research, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA,Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Anna Andrzejewska
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, PAS, 5 Pawinskiego Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland,Corresponding author Anna Andrzejewska, NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
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Cui L, Hunter MR, Sonzini S, Pereira S, Romanelli SM, Liu K, Li W, Liang L, Yang B, Mahmoudi N, Desai AS. Mechanistic Studies of an Automated Lipid Nanoparticle Reveal Critical Pharmaceutical Properties Associated with Enhanced mRNA Functional Delivery In Vitro and In Vivo. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2105832. [PMID: 34914866 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Recently, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have attracted attention due to their emergent use for COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The success of LNPs can be attributed to ionizable lipids, which enable functional intracellular delivery. Previously, the authors established an automated high-throughput platform to screen ionizable lipids and identified that the LNPs generated using this automated technique show comparable or increased mRNA functional delivery in vitro as compared to LNPs prepared using traditional microfluidics techniques. In this study, the authors choose one benchmark lipid, DLin-MC3-DMA (MC3), and investigate whether the automated formulation technique can enhance mRNA functional delivery in vivo. Interestingly, a 4.5-fold improvement in mRNA functional delivery in vivo by automated LNPs as compared to LNPs formulated by conventional microfluidics techniques, is observed. Mechanistic studies reveal that particles with large size accommodate more mRNA per LNP, possess more hydrophobic surface, are more hemolytic, bind a larger protein corona, and tend to accumulate more in macropinocytosomes, which may quantitatively benefit mRNA cytosolic delivery. These data suggest that mRNA loading per particle is a critical factor that accounts for the enhanced mRNA functional delivery of automated LNPs. These mechanistic findings provide valuable insight underlying the enhanced mRNA functional delivery to accelerate future mRNA LNP product development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Cui
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Morag R Hunter
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Silvia Sonzini
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Sara Pereira
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Steven M Romanelli
- University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5624, USA
| | - Kai Liu
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 43183, Sweden
| | - Weimin Li
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Lihuan Liang
- Bioscience Renal, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Bin Yang
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Najet Mahmoudi
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Arpan S Desai
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
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Steinle H, Weber J, Stoppelkamp S, Große-Berkenbusch K, Golombek S, Weber M, Canak-Ipek T, Trenz SM, Schlensak C, Avci-Adali M. Delivery of synthetic mRNAs for tissue regeneration. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 179:114007. [PMID: 34710530 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, nucleic acid-based therapeutics have gained increasing importance as novel treatment options for disease prevention and treatment. Synthetic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are promising nucleic acid-based drugs to transiently express desired proteins that are missing or defective. Recently, synthetic mRNA-based vaccines encoding viral proteins have been approved for emergency use against COVID-19. Various types of vehicles, such as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and liposomes, are being investigated to enable the efficient uptake of mRNA molecules into desired cells. In addition, the introduction of novel chemical modifications into mRNAs increased the stability, enabled the modulation of nucleic acid-based drugs, and increased the efficiency of mRNA-based therapeutic approaches. In this review, novel and innovative strategies for the delivery of synthetic mRNA-based therapeutics for tissue regeneration are discussed. Moreover, with this review, we aim to highlight the versatility of synthetic mRNA molecules for various applications in the field of regenerative medicine and also discuss translational challenges and required improvements for mRNA-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidrun Steinle
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Josefin Weber
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Stoppelkamp
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Katharina Große-Berkenbusch
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sonia Golombek
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marbod Weber
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tuba Canak-Ipek
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sarah-Maria Trenz
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christian Schlensak
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Meltem Avci-Adali
- University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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7
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Yeo WS, Ng QX. Passive inhaled mRNA vaccination for SARS-Cov-2. Med Hypotheses 2021; 146:110417. [PMID: 33277107 PMCID: PMC7685031 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wee Song Yeo
- Mount Elizabeth Hospital, 3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228510, Singapore
| | - Qin Xiang Ng
- MOH Holdings Pte Ltd, 1 Maritime Square, Singapore 099253, Singapore.
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Hecker JG. Non-Viral, Lipid-Mediated DNA and mRNA Gene Therapy of the Central Nervous System (CNS): Chemical-Based Transfection. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1382:307-24. [PMID: 26611597 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3271-9_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Appropriate gene delivery systems are essential for successful gene therapy in clinical medicine. Cationic lipid-mediated delivery is an alternative to viral vector-mediated gene delivery. Lipid-mediated delivery of DNA or mRNA is usually more rapid than viral-mediated delivery, offers a larger payload, and has a nearly zero risk of incorporation. Lipid-mediated delivery of DNA or RNA is therefore preferable to viral DNA delivery in those clinical applications that do not require long-term expression for chronic conditions. Delivery of RNA may be preferable to non-viral DNA delivery in some clinical applications, because transit across the nuclear membrane is not necessary and onset of expression with RNA is therefore even faster than with DNA, although both are faster than most viral vectors. Here, we describe techniques for cationic lipid-mediated delivery of nucleic acids encoding reporter genes in a variety of cell lines. We describe optimized formulations and transfection procedures that we previously assessed by bioluminescence and flow cytometry. RNA transfection demonstrates increased efficiency relative to DNA transfection in non-dividing cells. Delivery of mRNA results in onset of expression within 1 h after transfection and a peak in expression 5-7 h after transfection. Duration of expression in eukaryotic cells after mRNA transcript delivery depends on multiple factors, including transcript stability, protein turnover, and cell type. Delivery of DNA results in onset of expression within 5 h after transfection, a peak in expression 24-48 h after transfection, and a return to baseline that can be as long as several weeks after transfection. In vitro results are consistent with our in vivo delivery results, techniques for which are described as well. RNA delivery is suitable for short-term transient gene expression due to its rapid onset, short duration of expression and greater efficiency, particularly in non-dividing cells, while the longer duration and the higher mean levels of expression per cell that are ultimately obtained following DNA delivery confirm a continuing role for DNA gene delivery in clinical applications that require longer term transient gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Hecker
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 359724, 329 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
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Vallazza B, Petri S, Poleganov MA, Eberle F, Kuhn AN, Sahin U. Recombinant messenger RNA technology and its application in cancer immunotherapy, transcript replacement therapies, pluripotent stem cell induction, and beyond. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2015; 6:471-99. [DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ugur Sahin
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals GmbH; Mainz Germany
- TRON gGmbH; Mainz Germany
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10
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Yeom JH, Ryou SM, Won M, Park M, Bae J, Lee K. Inhibition of Xenograft tumor growth by gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide conjugates-assisted delivery of BAX mRNA. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75369. [PMID: 24073264 PMCID: PMC3779183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Use of non-biological agents for mRNA delivery into living systems in order to induce heterologous expression of functional proteins may provide more advantages than the use of DNA and/or biological vectors for delivery. However, the low efficiency of mRNA delivery into live animals, using non-biological systems, has hampered the use of mRNA as a therapeutic molecule. Here, we show that gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide (AuNP-DNA) conjugates can serve as universal vehicles for more efficient delivery of mRNA into human cells, as well as into xenograft tumors generated in mice. Injections of BAX mRNA loaded on AuNP-DNA conjugates into xenograft tumors resulted in highly efficient mRNA delivery. The delivered mRNA directed the efficient production of biologically functional BAX protein, a pro-apoptotic factor, consequently inhibiting tumor growth. These results demonstrate that mRNA delivery by AuNP-DNA conjugates can serve as a new platform for the development of safe and efficient gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hyun Yeom
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Mi Ryou
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Miae Won
- Department of Pharmacy, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Mira Park
- Department of Pharmacy, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeehyeon Bae
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (KL); (JB)
| | - Kangseok Lee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (KL); (JB)
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Abstract
Appropriate gene delivery systems are essential for successful gene therapy in clinical medicine. Cationic lipid-mediated delivery is an alternative to viral vector-mediated gene delivery where transient gene expression is desirable. However, cationic lipid-mediated delivery of DNA to post-mitotic cells is often of low efficiency, due to the difficulty of DNA translocation to the nucleus. Rapid lipid-mediated delivery of RNA is preferable to nonviral DNA delivery in some clinical applications, because transit across the nuclear membrane is not necessary. Here we describe techniques for cationic lipid-mediated delivery of RNA encoding reporter genes in a variety of in vitro cell lines and in vivo. We describe optimized formulations and transfection procedures that we have previously assessed by flow cytometry. RNA transfection demonstrates increased efficiency relative to DNA transfection in nondividing cells. Delivery of mRNA results in onset of expression within 1 h after transfection and a peak in expression 5-7 h after transfection. These results are consistent with our in vivo delivery results, techniques for which are shown as well. Longer duration and the higher mean levels of expression per cell that are ultimately obtained following DNA delivery confirm a continuing role for DNA gene delivery in clinical applications that require long term transient gene expression. RNA delivery is suitable for short-term transient gene expression due to its rapid onset, short duration of expression, and greater efficiency, particularly in nondividing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Hecker
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Zou S, Scarfo K, Nantz MH, Hecker JG. Lipid-mediated delivery of RNA is more efficient than delivery of DNA in non-dividing cells. Int J Pharm 2010; 389:232-43. [PMID: 20080162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2010.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2009] [Revised: 01/04/2010] [Accepted: 01/10/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The design of appropriate gene delivery systems is essential for the successful application of gene therapy to clinical medicine. Cationic lipid-mediated delivery is a viable alternative to viral vector-mediated gene delivery in applications where transient gene expression is desirable. However, cationic lipid-mediated delivery of DNA to post-mitotic cells such as neurons is often reported to be of low efficiency, due to the presumed inability of the DNA to translocate to the nucleus. Lipid-mediated delivery of RNA is an attractive alternative to non-viral DNA delivery in some clinical applications, because transit across the nuclear membrane is not necessary. Here we report a comparative investigation of cationic lipid-mediated delivery of RNA versus DNA vectors encoding the reporter gene green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) and NIH3T3 cells following chemical inhibition of proliferation, and in primary mixed neuronal cell cultures. Using optimized formulations and transfection procedures, we assess gene expression by flow cytometry to specifically address some of the advantages and disadvantages of lipid-mediated RNA and DNA gene transfer. Despite inhibition of cell proliferation, over 45% of CHO cells express GFP after lipid-mediated transfection with RNA vectors. Transfection efficiency of DNA encoding GFP in proliferation-inhibited CHO cells was less than 5%. Detectable expression after RNA transfection occurs at least 3h earlier than after DNA transfection, but DNA transfection eventually produces a mean level of per cell GFP expression (as assayed by flow cytometry) that is higher than after RNA transfection. Transfection of proliferation-inhibited NIH3T3 cells and primary mixed neuronal cultures produced similar results, with RNA encoded GFP expression in 2-4 times the number of cells as after DNA encoded GFP expression. These results demonstrate the increased efficiency of RNA transfection relative to DNA transfection in non-dividing cells. We used firefly luciferase encoded by RNA and DNA vectors to investigate the time course of gene expression after delivery of RNA or DNA to primary neuronal cortical cells. Delivery of mRNA resulted in rapid onset (within 1h) of luciferase expression after transfection, a peak in expression 5-7h after transfection, and a return to baseline within 12h after transfection. After DNA delivery significant luciferase activity did not appear until 7h after transfection, but peak luciferase expression was always at least one order of magnitude higher than after RNA delivery. The peak expression after luciferase-expressing DNA delivery occurred 36-48 h after transfection and remained at a significant level for at least one week before dropping to baseline. This observation is consistent with our in vivo delivery results, which are shown as well. RNA delivery may therefore be more suitable for short-term transient gene expression due to rapid onset, shorter duration of expression and greater efficiency, particularly in non-dividing cells. Higher mean levels of expression per cell obtained following DNA delivery and the longer duration of expression confirm a continuing role for DNA gene delivery in clinical applications that require longer term transient gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Zou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Morgan 305, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6112, USA
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Anderson DM, Hall LL, Ayyalapu AR, Irion VR, Nantz MH, Hecker JG. Stability of mRNA/cationic lipid lipoplexes in human and rat cerebrospinal fluid: methods and evidence for nonviral mRNA gene delivery to the central nervous system. Hum Gene Ther 2003; 14:191-202. [PMID: 12639300 DOI: 10.1089/10430340360535751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical applications of gene therapy require advances in gene delivery systems. Although numerous clinical trials are already underway, the ultimate success of gene therapies will depend on gene transfer vectors that facilitate the expression of a specific gene at therapeutic levels in the desired cell populations without eliciting cytotoxicity. In clinical applications for which transient expression is desirable, mRNA delivery is of particular interest. We have shown cationic lipid-mediated mRNA delivery to be feasible, efficient, and reproducible in vitro. mRNA delivery to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in vivo would provide a means of vector distribution throughout the central nervous system (CNS). This study examined the functional integrity and protection from degradation of mRNA/cationic complexes (lipoplexes) in human cerebrospinal fluid (hCSF) in vitro and expression of these lipoplexes in vivo. Results obtained from gel electrophoresis indicate that cationic lipids protect mRNA transcripts from RNases in hCSF for at least 4 hr. This is in contrast to the total disappearance of nonlipid-complexed mRNA in less than 5 min. We confirmed the importance of RNase activity by incubating mRNA transcripts encoding luciferase or green fluorescent protein (GFP) in hCSF to which RNase inhibitors had been added. After incubation, these solutions were used to transfect Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro. Next, assays for both GFP and luciferase were used to demonstrate functional integrity and translation of the mRNA transcripts. Finally, we delivered in vitro transcribed mRNA vectors encoding for Hsp70 and luciferase to the lateral ventricle of the rat in a series of preliminary in vivo experiments. Initial immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrates that the distribution, uptake, and expression of reporter sequences using lipid-mediated mRNA vector delivery is extensive, as we earlier reported using similar methods with DNA vectors but that the expression may be less intense. Expression was noted in coronal sections throughout the rat brain, confirming the potential for lipid-mediated mRNA delivery to the CNS. These findings confirm that complexing mRNA with cationic lipid before exposure to CSF confers protection against RNase activity, facilitating distribution, cellular uptake, and expression of mRNA delivered into the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dua M Anderson
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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